The Destiny of Cynder: A New Hope
by GlassSuicune
Summary: In the Year of the Dragon, the Guardians awaited the birth of the Purple Dragon destined to bring peace to the world. But He Who Is Known By Many Names sent his army to destroy the egg and retrieve another egg for himself. But things never go as planned, and his egg was sent down the Silver River, forcing him to change his plans. Curiously, the other egg contained a Purple Dragon.
1. Year of the Dragon

The Destiny of Cynder: A New Hope by GlassSuicune

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The Legend of Spyro belongs to Activision. I'm just borrowing it for awhile.

It's been a long time since I've posted anything... Won't bore anyone with the details, but this is a full reboot of a fanfiction I started (and never finished) years ago. The reason I never finished the original incarnation is simple: I lost all of my notes (I had everything on an actual notebook that got lost during a move). Losing all of that kinda... killed my motivation.

Fast forward to 2016, and I've recreated everything, and honestly, I think the story is better for it. Well, let's see, shall we?

June 21st, 2018: I've gone back and re-edited some stuff.

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Chapter 1: Year of the Dragon

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Ignitus walked past rows upon rows of Dragon eggs, holding his head low and avoiding the gazes of other Dragons as they walked by him and the eggs. He kept his eyes ahead of him, giving those Dragons little more than quick nods to show them he acknowledged their existence when they acknowledged his. The air weighed heavy on his body, and the silence of the Dragon Temple also.

Memories of the brutal clashes with the armies of the Dark Master, the Fallen, He Should Not Be Named, moved to the front of Ignitus' mind, and his breath hitched at each one. Fields of corpses, streams of blood, days of agony with no end in sight. Old emotional wounds reopened, and he winced at the scars he saw on the Dragons he walked past. He knew they held worse scars within.

Unwilling to deal with the lingering demons, Ignitus turned his thoughts to the present as the smell of smoke from the torches entered his nostrils. He focused on the Purple Dragon, the one destined to defeat He Should Not Be Named and restore peace to the world. The one whose birth He Who Should Not Be Named would never allow.

But things would be different, Ignitus assured himself, this night would turn the tide in their favour, it _had_ to. They had all the Guardians, both Light and Dark, guarding the eggs. They even had the best of the Dragon Knights guarding the outside of the temple and the city it watched over. They were prepared, no matter what the Oracles said…

The Year of the Dragon drew to a close, and its end had to be one of hope.

"Is something troubling you, Ignitus?" Ignitus turned his head in the direction of the voice, seeing the Guardian of Wind, Aura. He knew she'd have no trouble reading him, but he had no interest in her prying and kept walking. With so much at stake, he didn't have any time to waste. None of them did, couldn't she see that? If, by some cruel fate of the Ancestors, the Oracles were _right_ , and they failed… He didn't want to think about it at all. His heart couldn't take it.

His gaze wandered from her and to the door leading to the Purple Dragon's egg, and he yearned to be in that room sooner rather than later. As he stared at the door, he could've sworn he saw the tail of that Fear Guardian disappear down one of the nearby hallways. What was her name again? They hadn't been properly introduced. He supposed he'd have to fix that after the eggs hatched.

"I am fine, Aura," Ignitus replied after a lengthy silence, looking back at Aura for a moment. He sighed and turned his attention back to the door. "A bit tired, perhaps, but it's nothing serious. Please, don't concern yourself with me. There are far more important things that require your attention. Return to your post."

Aura shook her head and walked down the hallway, leaving Ignitus alone. With a shrug, Ignitus exited the cramped hallway and stepped into the grotto, gazing upon all of the eggs in the center and along the sides of the walls. He stopped walking when he noticed a younger Fire Dragon putting eggs into a basket.

The sight troubled him, and he wanted to argue even though he knew he shouldn't. The Oracles and the Guardians had come to this compromise, even if he still didn't think it would prove necessary. He understood their concerns, he really did, yet he wanted to cling to the belief that the Guardians and Knights could keep the eggs safe.

He had noticed empty spaces where eggs had once been, and knew the Fire Dragon's fellow Oracles had taken them. A few eggs in particular were missing, and he didn't allow himself to dwell on it lest his thoughts become overrun by worry.

"Hello, Ignitus," the Fire Dragon forced a smile as he put the last egg into the basket. His golden scales and red horns sparkled and shimmered under the torchlight, and his orange eyes looked dim in comparison as he raised his voice so Ignitus could hear it. "On your way to guard the Purple Dragon egg, I see… Perfectly understandable, of course, for many reasons… One of which…"

His words were lost on Ignitus, who had become entranced by one egg in particular. At first glance, the egg appeared to be gray like the Wind Dragon eggs, but the light proved its true colour to be lilac. Said colour made it stick out like a sore thumb among the vibrant orange, blue, and green eggs it was nestled with.

Ignitus closed his eyes, remembering what the Elders had told him so long ago, when he had been a curious hatchling who wanted to know about the strange egg he had seen in the grotto. The Ancestors had named it the Millennial Egg, and he believed that name to be accurate. It was common knowledge that Dragon eggs could lay dormant for many years before hatching. In fact, such eggs filled the grotto. But like its name suggested, this egg had lain dormant for a millennia, something no other egg had done.

No one knew why the Millennial Egg had been dormant for so long, and indeed, many had begun to believe it would never hatch. Ignitus didn't know what to make of it, beyond the fact that there was something deeply unsettling about it. He didn't know the egg's past, and he had never thought to ask about its parents. But the more he looked at the egg, the more it disturbed him and made him think he didn't want to know any answers.

"I know your duty is to protect the Purple Dragon's egg, specifically…" the Fire Dragon stood at Ignitus' side to get his attention, eyes on the Millennial Egg. "And it's not my place, even as an Oracle, to give a Guardian orders, but…" The words died in his throat as he gazed upon the Millennial Egg, a shudder going down his spine. He kept his eyes from meeting Ignitus', to hide the knowledge he knew. Would the Guardian believe him if he spoke the truth? All of the Guardians had already fought himself and his fellow Oracles over the plans for this very night.

"Yes, Eldes?" Ignitus gave him only a brief glance, unable to divert his gaze from the Millennial Egg for long. He could feel the Dragon inside calling out for someone, _anyone_ , to cradle it and protect it from the cruel world outside. Or perhaps his imagination had seen it fit to play tricks on him. Whatever the reason, he found himself picking up the egg and holding it with one of his front paws, placing his other one over it to shield it from the light.

"Whatever happens tonight, the Dark Master cannot have the Millennial Egg," the words left Eldes' mouth, and he straightened himself, looking away from the egg in Ignitus' hands. It was the one truth he would let leave his lips. "Layru… Din… Farore… And I… We Oracles have looked into the Pools of Visions across the realms, and the future we see if the Dark Master lays even a claw on the Millennial Egg… It cannot be allowed to happen."

"Then why do you not take it with you?" Ignitus held the egg out to Eldes, wordlessly begging him to take it and stuff it into the basket. His chest tightened when he realized the basket had no space for another egg. Nonetheless, he held the egg out, waiting for a response. "Shouldn't it be a priority for you?"

Eldes shook his head. "I do intend to take the Millennial Egg, but I promised the parents of these children I would keep them safe… If the basket was bigger, I would have taken it already."

"Then you must go… We have spent too long talking."

Eldes nodded and took a moment to secure the eggs in his basket. "I will carry this basket to its destination, and then I will return for more eggs, including this one... One way or another, the eggs of the Purple One and the Millennial One will be safe from the Dark Master, I promise you that. Please, consider letting me take the Purple-"

Ignitus opened his mouth to snap at Eldes before he could finish his sentence, but the temple started to shake, and the Millennial Egg almost fell out of his paws. The shaking intensified, and both Ignitus and Eldes stared at each other, frozen in place by the dreadful realization of what was happening. Eldes pulled the basket closer to his chest, and Ignitus' grip on the Millennial Egg tightened.

"The eggs!" Volteer, the Electric Guardian burst through one of the doors, out of breath. Two Dragon Knights rushed past him, down the corridor he had come from. "Save them! The Dark Master's armies have come! _Protect the eggs at all costs_!"

"No matter what, the Dark Master cannot have the Millennial Egg," Eldes' scales had turned deathly pale, and his eyes were on the egg in Ignitus' paws. "Take it, now! Hide it! I promise you, I will come back for the Purple Dragon's egg! I won't allow a single soldier of the Dark Master's armies to touch it! Go! NOW!" Eldes grabbed the basket's handle with his mouth and ran.

His mind too frozen to think, Ignitus dashed towards the door closest to him, exhaling a blast of fire and opening it. He almost stopped at the pedestal with the Purple Egg, but he couldn't carry both, and he felt the Millennial Dragon plead with him to save it. Unable to let it go in exchange for the Purple Egg, he opened another door that led to a passageway out of the temple, and ran down it, his heart splitting in two. When he reached the end of the cold, dark cavern, he jumped out and spread his wings, flying among the mushroom trees with the egg securely in his paws.

He flew down as close to the ground as he could to avoid the notice of the Dreadwings approaching the temple from all sides. He heard the sounds of explosions, but they grew faint as he flew further and further away. His mind raced and his heart threatened to pound out of his chest, and his wings were beating like a hummingbird's. The surroundings went by as little more than a blurry mess of colours, until finally his burst of energy began to fail him.

Ignitus slowed down and landed at the edge of the Silver River, watching the golden water rush down its path. He breathed heavily, knowing he would only be safe for a short while. He looked around and saw a mushroom cap from one of the trees lying near the water. It had come from a young tree, and its small size made it suitable for a cozy nest. Desperate to return to the temple and retrieve the Purple Egg, Ignitus walked over to it.

"May the Ancestors look after you…" Ignitus pulled the mushroom cap closer and gently placed the egg inside its center. He raised his head and closed his eyes, breathing in deep. "…May they look after us all."

He wondered if the Millennial Dragon could even hear him, and if it could, if it was grateful for his prayer or annoyed by it. He didn't think he would ever know. He couldn't even be sure if the cursed egg would hatch, or remain an enigma long after he left it in the swamp, and long after he was dead, besides.

Ignitus held his breath and took a peek behind himself, looking up through the canopy of trees and at the temple on top the hill. He saw trails of smoke rising from it, and more flocks of Dreadwings coming its way. His heart sank, and he quickly turned back to the Millennial Egg, pushing its impromptu boat into the Silver River and watching the water carry it away until it vanished into the distance.

He took another deep breath and steeled himself for whatever came his way, and then leapt into the air. He flapped his wings with as much fury as he could muster, his thoughts now on the Purple Egg. He had done what Eldes had asked of him, and he could only hope that Eldes had kept his word. The Purple Egg was more to him than just a piece of a prophecy, and his suffering if he lost it would be tenfold.

After weaving himself through the trees and other vegetation, Ignitus returned to the tunnel and landed, running faster than he ever thought possible. A destructive fire grew within his chest, ready to be released upon hearing the call of its master. He tried to quell it, knowing that it could do unspeakable harm if he wasn't careful with it, but in the end he let the rage and terror stoke the fire. It would serve as his righteous blade.

He heard wicked laughter and pained screams, and he bit back a scream of his own. He narrowed his eyes and jumped through the doorway, barring his fangs to challenge the invaders. But that moment of defiance was short-lived, and the reality of the situation left him speechless and petrified.

He saw Volteer lying with his back against the wall, unconscious and bleeding from his mouth. The remains of too many eggs were scattered around him, and Ignitus tore his gaze away. His attempt proved futile, because he found himself staring at Cyril, who was lying in the center of the room, covered in blood and eggshells. Looking further, Ignitus saw the unconscious form of the Poison Guardian as Apes walked all over him.

No matter where Ignitus looked, he saw either a downed Guardian or a downed Knight, and so many ruined eggs. When he finally managed to gather himself, he noticed the one thing he couldn't believe he missed. The Purple Egg in the hands of an Ape. But not just any Ape. Gaul, the King of the Apes and the leader of the Dark Master's armies.

… _It is no wonder that the other Guardians were overrun…_ Ignitus trembled with both horror and sheer rage, retreating into the cloak of darkness behind, hoping he hadn't been spotted yet. He noticed Eldes lying on the ground near Gaul, dazed and struggling to stand up. Blood trickled from a wound on his head.

"Nice try, Oracle…" Gaul pressed his foot down on Eldes' head, and Ignitus's heart clenched as Eldes' body became deathly still. Gaul then looked over the egg. Ignitus couldn't see anything except red, and couldn't hold back any longer.

"You will perish before you get the chance to crush that egg, Gaul!" Ignitus shook the room with a mighty roar and charged towards Gaul. The fire had moved to the back of his throat, and he prepared to unleash it right into Gaul's face. He pounced at the massive Ape and opened his mouth in another roar, feeling the flames move forward. Right as the flames left his mouth, Gaul leapt out of the way, causing him to smash into the wall and send waves of pain throughout his body. His vision blurred and his head started ringing, nausea filling his stomach.

"I would expect such weakness from a whimpering Oracle, but I expected so much more from a Guardian such as yourself…" Gaul sneered, handing the Purple Egg to another Ape and unsheathing his swords. "And you are quite mistaken about my intentions for this egg… Take solace in the knowledge that the Purple Dragon will live… as a pawn of my master!"

Ignitus recovered from the dizziness and rose to his feet, glaring at Gaul and shooting a torrent of flames his way. Gaul held his swords in front of his face, forming an X shape and diverting most of the flames away from him. The flames that did manage to hit him seemed to have no effect, and he moved the swords out of the way and marched towards Ignitus. His swords began to glow a sickly green.

"If it were up to me, I would slaughter all of you here and now…" Gaul snarled, slamming the swords into the floor and sending out a wave of green magic that hit Ignitus with the force of rockslide, slamming him back into the wall. Grunting, Gaul walked closer to the Ignitus and sheathed his swords. "But my master requires the power of the Guardians to be free of his prison, so today you walk away with your life. But as soon as you are no longer needed…"

Ignitus tried to shake off the pain and clear his head, but his vision grew too clouded for him to see anything except shapes and colours. He could see Gaul's figure shrinking, and he thought he heard Eldes groaning until the ringing in his head grew too intense for him to bear. He fell to the floor, consciousness slipping away.

The Guardians and Knights had been overrun, the eggs mercilessly smashed, and Eldes' failure allowed Gaul to take the Purple Egg. No, Eldes didn't fail. The Oracles didn't fail. The blame fell solely on the shoulders of Guardians such as himself. _If only we had listened…_

Tears dampened his eyes and his vision turned dark, and the horrible ringing gave way to a heavy silence. _Oh… How wrong we were… How wrong…_

He had succeeded in one thing, he reminded himself while he still had enough energy to. He had succeeded in one thing that seemed so small and yet so great. The Millennial Egg was safe, as Eldes had wanted.

With that thought, Ignitus fell into a tortured slumber.

As the chaos at the temple unfolded, the Millennial Egg drifted down the Silver River, its occupant unaware of the dangers lurking outside. Animals stopped and watched the egg travel, mesmerized by its beauty. They had never seen anything like it.

A log in the water stopped the egg's journey, and the mushroom cap bounced off it and spun around, before finally floating against it. Two pairs of small, curious eyes watched it from behind the tall grass. Once the mushroom cap and its occupant were in no danger of being carried further downstream, the two Dragonflies, one blue and one green, flew out from the safety of their hiding place and hovered over the egg, staring at it in wonder.

"I've never seen an egg so large before…" the female Dragonfly reached her hand out to touch the egg, only to withdraw it and settle for just staring. Her lime green wings shimmered as she moved closer to the male Dragonfly, her eyes still on the egg. "Flash… Do you think it may have come from the people who live upstream?"

Flash thought about it, looking the egg over and nodding. They had never been upstream before, but they knew a town did exist in that part of the swamp, thanks to travelers who had been there. Its inhabitants were massive reptilian creatures with unfathomable power, and smaller peoples such as the Dragonflies knew it was best to stay away. But now that larger world had come to them.

"…There is no doubt in my mind, Nina," Flash crossed his left arm over his chest while scratching his chin in thought with his right hand. Like Nina, the idea of touching the egg crossed his mind, but he shook his head and chased the thought away. "But why would it be here? Unless the situation out there is more dire than we had been led to believe all these years…"

"I see trails of smoke in the distance," Nina said, looking in the direction of the town and shielding her eyes from the sun. Her hand fell to her side and she turned her attention back to the egg. "This poor child… I don't even want to imagine what horrible fate has befallen its family…" She held her hands together, letting out a sigh. "I wonder what it looks like…"

Both Nina and Flash moved closer to it, only to fly back into the grass once a crack appeared on the egg's surface. Flash held his breath and Nina covered her mouth as they watched the egg shake and crack even more, the creature inside desperate to escape. The creature growled as fiercely as it could, but its growls came out as little more than pathetic squeaks.

The creature's thrashing caused its boat to start bouncing against the log and move closer to land. The mushroom cap collided with a rock sticking out of the dirt, and soon after a large piece of eggshell was launched into the grass. Flash and Nina flew out of the way as the eggshell fell into what had been their hiding place.

"…That was a lot scarier a second ago…" Nina scratched the back of her head, grinning wryly as she looked away from the eggshell and back to the creature. Its head and neck were sticking out of the hole it had created. Even with its eyes closed shut, it moved its head around as if scanning the area.

Dazzling purple scales covered the creature's body, and there were two stubby, silver horns on its head. It let out a low-pitched whine, kicking at the eggshell with its back legs. Another piece broke off, and its long, slender tail was left dangling over the edge of the cap. It leaned its head back, snout pointing towards the sky. It flicked its tail around and tried to wipe some of the egg's gunk off of its red underbelly.

Flash and Nina both gasped and placed their hands over their chests, taking in the sight. A child from the world beyond their home, from the town they had never been brave enough to visit. If they had, they would've known the inhabitants were called Dragons, and that this child was one of them.

"I didn't even know they could be this small," Nina whispered, leaning her head to the side. She chuckled, watching the infant's antics. "It's… kind of cute."

The baby Dragon rolled over onto its side and started kicking and scratching at more of the eggshell. It attempted to snarl with its squeaky voice, tearing a piece of the eggshell to shreds within seconds. It became still as a statue afterwards, as if that simple action had sapped all of its energy.

" _Cute_?" Flash's hands rested on his sides and he looked at Nina with a raised eyebrow. He pointed at the Dragon, trying not to laugh awkwardly. "That thing could swallow us whole if it wanted. _Whole_."

The Dragon yawned and kicked at the air, trying to sit upright. It growled in frustration with each failed attempt, until finally it sat up and released a happy squeak in triumph. It reached its front paws out and started patting the area in front of it, searching for more eggshell to destroy. When it found none, it spread its tiny, leathery wings, preparing a bold leap out of what had once been its home and into the new world it had yet to open its eyes and see. Instead, it tripped and fell flat on its face.

The Dragon's sky blue eyes snapped open and its voice turned shrill as it started bawling. It pawed at the dirt near it, scratching it up and tearing apart the hapless plants that happened to be caught in the crossfire. Its wings snapped to its sides and its tail thrashed about, its wails growing louder.

Flash and Nina winced and looked at each other while the Dragon wailed. They looked at it, and then back at each other. Flash shrugged and averted his gaze, and Nina cringed as the wailing intensified. Flash clenched his teeth and covered his head in a vain attempt to protect his hearing, and looked at the Dragon again. Nina did the same, her frown growing bigger. They looked at each other once more, and without speaking came to an agreement.

The Dragon's wailing stopped as soon as Flash and Nina flew and hovered in front of it. Eyes wide with curiosity, it stared at them and leaned its head to the right and then to the left. Then it started wailing again.

"Shh, shh…" Nina said soothingly, and then slowly flew close enough to the Dragon so that she could touch it. She reached her hand out and held it in place, tempted to withdraw it. She shook her head and swallowed, steeling herself and pushing her hand forward against the ridge above the Dragon's right eye. The Dragon's crying stopped, as it tried to process the feeling of Nina's small hand against its dark scales. Nina smiled. "…Can we keep her?"

"I'm glad you asked so I didn't have to," Flash chuckled, placing his hand on the ridge above the Dragon's left eye. The Dragon's gaze darted back and forth between him and Nina. He smiled. "I don't like the thought of leaving a little one out here all alone. Even if she's actually not so little… What do we name her?"

"Cynder. I mean... Whatever she is, lots of them breathe fire. I've seen them do it."

"Well, it's as fitting a name as any, I suppose. Welcome to the world, Cynder."

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There it is.

The first chapter.

I never thought I'd see the day where I upload something again.


	2. Hide and Seek

So uh I vanished off the face of the earth again. Oops. Well, I'm going to try to edit these to the best of my ability and post them, now that my beta reader is too busy.

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Chapter 2: Hide And Seek.

"Okay, it's my turn now," Cynder held her wings over her eyes and leaned her head against the bark of the tree, her tail bobbing up and down. She closed her eyes and listened to the chirps of the insects and birds nearby, grinning and letting out a soft chuckle. "One… Two… Three… Four…"

"You'll never find me, purple girl!" A gold Dragonfly flew above her, hiding in the muted green leaves and staying away from the thin rays of dim sunlight peeking through them. He gripped one of the smaller branches and looked at her while she continued to count. "You should just quit while you're ahead. But you actually aren't ahead, come to think of it… H,You should quit anyway."

"…Ten!" Cynder uncovered her face and looked around, eyes sparkling with mischief. She shrugged when she didn't see her target, and then started circling the tree, leaving pawprints in the soft, damp soil. She chuckled again, raising her voice. "Hey, Sparx, did you say something? I was really busy counting, so if you did, I didn't hear a thing…"

"Only that you'll never catch me, and how bad that has to make you feel," Sparx replied, resting his hands on his sides. "I can only imagine the self-loathing… Mm, doesn't feel good, yeah?"

"I know you're up there!" Cynder rose to her back legs and placed her front legs on the tree, digging her claws into the bark. Her body tensed, memories of all the times she fell from that tree dancing across her vision. "No fair! You know I can't climb up there!"

"Oh, you know, you're right," Sparx left the canopy of the leaves and placed the palm of his hand on his face. He shook his head and mumbled something unintelligible, looking at Cynder while waving his left hand around dismissively. "Sorry. Actually, no, I'm not sorry. Catch me if you can!"

"Hey!"

Sparx flew out of the small clearing and deeper into the swamp, his cackles fading into the distance. Cynder scrunched up her snout and narrowed her eyes and then ran after him, mud splashing against her legs and underside with each step. "When I catch you, you're gonna be toast!"

Sparx darted all around the trees, and Cynder could barely keep up with him in the dim golden light of the sun. She kept running down the trail, hopping over the stones and logs in her way.

"There you are!" Cynder sprinted towards Sparx and jumped over a fallen tree. Sparx hovered near some massive tree roots, and she got close enough for a pounce. "I see you, and you're not getting away from me this time!"

"Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but seeing and catching just so happen to be two very different things!" Sparx sped away mere seconds before Cynder reached him, and she crashed into the ground, getting mud all over her face. Sparx giggled. "Oh, you poor baby. Want Mommy to kiss that and make it feel better?"

Cynder spat out some of the mud. "You're such an annoying little gnat, you know that, right?"

Sparx gasped and placed his hands on his chest. "Who're you callin' a gnat?"

Cynder stood back up and prepared to jump after him again, only to have that plan cut short when she realized she was standing near the edge of a very steep drop. She gritted her teeth at the sight of Sparx on the other side. _That little…_

"Aww, what's wrong, Cyndy?" Sparx placed his hands behind his back and held his head up high, pacing back and forth to give the illusion of deep, careful thought. "Can't fly like the rest of us? Oh yeah, that's right, I remember now… You're like a lizard or something, and you walk everywhere. _Everywhere_. That's so… awful. I really feel for you. I'm not even sure how you get by."

"Oh, sure, laugh while you still can," Cynder lowered her voice to sound threatening, but laughter soon overtook her. She looked at the roots again, seeing several that seemed to form a bridge of sorts. An idea clicked in her mind and she walked over to it. Upon closer inspection, the would-be bridge didn't look stable, but if she ran fast enough, it'd do the job.

"Ready or not, here I come!" She dashed across the roots, feeling them give way under her weight. Her foot caught on one of the roots and she stumbled forward. She cried out and struggled to both regain her balance and maintain her speed, hearing the dubious bridge continue to collapse behind her. Taking a deep breath, she leapt into the air, her wings creating a gust of wind that pushed her over to solid ground.

"Nice moves there," Sparx once again flew out of the way before Cynder could touch him. He waggled his finger at her. "But you'll have to be a lot lighter on your feet than that! …And you do have some _serious_ weight issues, so that might actually be impossible. Sorry, I don't make the rules."

Sparx laughed as Cynder growled, and he flew out of sight, taking refuge in the foliage. Cynder resumed the chase, feeling the taste of victory slipping through her talons as she hopped around the smaller trees and rocks. She stopped when she across some large, dense leaves blocking her way. She saw the telltale glow of Sparx behind them, and heard his chuckling.

Cynder nudged the leaves with the tip of her snout, frowning when they barely budged. She tapped her front right foot and folded her wings on her back. A smirk crept upon her face and she braced herself. She breathed in as much air as her lungs could hold, and then exhaled a powerful blast of wind that pushed the leaves and branches out of her way. She hopped through the opening before they returned to normal.

"Being bigger than Sparx has its upsides…" Cynder muttered as she trotted down the trail of grass and rocks. She stopped and raised a wing to the side of her head, listening for Sparx. "Now where did he fly off to…?"

"Man, it must really wound you up to lose all the time," Sparx said right behind Cynder, making her jump around to face him. "Told ya that you can't catch me. You might as well just give up now, I'd understand. I _would_ actually think less of you, but I'd definitely understand, I promise."

Sparx opened his mouth to say more before Cynder could reply, but a large tongue suddenly grabbed him, prompting a shrill shriek. Cynder's eye twitched and she stared at the monster, with its greenish brown, bell-shaped body and the dark green leaves and brown roots that served as its limbs. She narrowed her eyes and growled.

"Hey, um, Cynder?" Sparx said from inside his captor, his voice muffled. "…Can you help me out? Please?"

"But that wouldn't be fair to the frogweed, now would it?" Cynder sat down and placed a front paw on her chest. Her tail curled around her feet, and she released a loud, melodramatic sigh. "Think about it. The poor guy's probably been waiting _hours_ for something to eat…"

"Oh for the love of… Cynder, come on! I'm your bro! Help me out of this thing! My wings are starting to get moldy and it's dark in here!"

If the situation had actually been funny, Cynder would've laughed. It wasn't, and so she stood up, approaching the frogweed and barring her fangs, snarling a challenge at it. The frogweed still didn't acknowledge her, content to stay in place, waiting for more bugs to cross its path. Sparx punched at the walls of its stomach, earning little more than a grunt from it.

Cynder let out her best battle cry and spun around, slamming into the frogweed with her tail and slicing it with her blade-like tail-tip. It shrieked, but had no chance to react before she slammed her horns into it. The frogweed looked ready to fall over, and she slammed it with her tail again. It gagged and coughed, and she jumped back right as it spit Sparx out. He crashed into her and the frogweed groaned, sinking into the soil. Dead or unconscious, she didn't know. She looked down at Sparx, watching him slide off her chest and onto the ground.

"…Ugh, I'm never going to get the smell of that thing off of me…" Sparx pushed himself up, shaking the mud off his wings and flying up to Cynder's eye level. "Not that you'd notice. How do you live with yourself? Seriously, consider bathing more often. Might help you."

Cynder snapped her teeth at Sparx, missing him by an inch. He flew away and she dug her claws into the dirt, fuming and gritting her teeth. She hissed through them. "…Seriously? Ungrateful much?"

She gave the patch of soil the frogweed disappeared into one last look. She didn't see any sign of it, and if there were others nearby, she figured they would've crawled out of the ground already. Content with the knowledge nothing would try to attack her, Cynder followed Sparx.

The swamp grew darker the further into it they went, and Cynder looked up to see if it was just the caps of the massive trees blocking out the sun. She saw beams of sunlight peeking through the canopy of leaves and mushroom caps. Still daytime. She didn't like the darkness either way.

The squelching of the soil under her feet became the only sound in the swamp, and Cynder held her breath. Cold air nipped at her scales, and if she didn't have Sparx to catch, she would've turned around and ran. Something felt very wrong and she just wanted to go back to Flash and Nina. She stepped out into a clearing, seeing Sparx.

"Uh, you know we're not allowed in there…?" Cynder said, her voice shaky at the sight of the massive maw Sparx hovered in. The skeleton of a massive predator that once freely roamed the swamp, becoming the stuff of legend and nightmares. The kind of monster parents warned their children about to make them behave, only with the added effect of being an actual thing that existed. The bones themselves were old and decayed, but Cynder felt as if the beast was still staring at her through its empty eye sockets. "…T-That's cheating! We should just, uh… Go back. You win."

"Oh, is the big, tough girl _scared_?" Sparx sneered, not moving from his spot inside the crocodilian skeleton's jaw. "Poor baby. Well, if you simply must, I'm certainly not stopping you. As for me, I'd like to see what's on the other side of this thing. Bye!"

Cynder sighed and slumped her shoulders. Going back to Flash and Nina without Sparx would only get her in even more trouble unless she lied about leaving him behind. She didn't have the heart to do either, and so she stepped forward, looking up at the skull and shaking like a leaf. Sparx didn't give her a choice.

Jagged teeth lined the skeleton's jaw, some in worse condition than others. The large fangs in particular had been exposed to the elements for who knows how long, and were already falling apart. She found it somewhat amazing they had stood the test of time for as long as they did, assuming the stories of the skeleton's age were true.

Cynder huffed when she saw no way for her to fit into the skull like Sparx had. The teeth were too tightly packed together for her to squeeze through them. A downside to being large, she supposed. Her eyes rose to the worn out fangs, and she leapt towards one of them, smacking it with her tail. An intense pain shot up through her spine, and she screamed, crashing into the ground below.

"Owowww…" Cynder got back to her feet and shuddered. She hissed through her teeth until the pain subsided, and then she sighed. She raised her head to look at the fang, seeing a large crack had spread across it. "Well… At least that wasn't a total failure."

She spread her wings and launched herself at the fang again, slamming her tail into the cracked area. It still hurt as she landed, and she gritted her teeth to work through it. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she jumped into the air and smacked it again. The fang broke apart and she smirked in triumph, jumping through the newly created opening in search of Sparx and ignoring the pain.

The inside of the cavern proved colder and creepier than the outside, and Cynder trembled even more. She stepped out of the skull and down into the cold, murky water, shuddering when soggy branches and other filth touched her scales. Looking up, she saw the bones of the monster holding up the rocky ceiling. She'd have to get revenge on Sparx for this stunt once they got home.

"Heeeey, anyone here see a big purple thing with scales and pointy horns?" Sparx's voice echoed through the cavern, and Cynder quickened her pace. "I'm missing mine. She got lost somewhere. Can anyone help me find her?"

Cynder ran past the beast's ribcage, ignoring the filthy water splashing against under her chest and underbelly. A golden glow shone on the wall, coming from the end of the cavern.

"Oh hey, you finally made it," Sparx looked at his wrist, tapping an imaginary watch. "You're really bad at this, by the way. I've been waiting for a long time. We're talking five minutes, give or take."

Sparx flashed a toothy grin and darted out of Cynder's reach, escaping out of the cavern and into a small clearing. "You're gonna have to do better than-"

A creature neither one of them had seen before jumped into the clearing, catching Sparx in a crudely crafted lantern. The creature stood taller than Cynder, and fur covered his massive, muscular body. He leapt to a hill that was too high for Cynder to jump to, holding the lantern while he stared down at her with cruel, yellow eyes. She stared back at him, seeing recognition in his eyes. Recognition she didn't understand.

"Wait a minute…" The creature, an Ape, narrowed his eyes and looked at her with even more scrutiny. "You're the Millennial Whatever that prophetess we bagged recently wouldn't shut up about… The Dark Master's been looking for you. Come on out, boys! Grab her, but make sure you don't scratch her! Our master won't like it if she's damaged in any way. We take this one back alive and well!"

"…What are you supposed to be, anyway?" Cynder blurted out even as smaller Apes surrounded her. "…Urgh, never mind that. Let go of Sparx before I make you!"

One of the underlings leapt at her, and she scurried out of the way before he could tackle her. Another punched her in the side of her face, almost knocking her over. A third one moved in with a net, and she slashed it in half before headbutting him and sending him stumbling back. She spun around and smacked all of them with her tail, and then she tackled the first one she saw once that was over.

Cynder jumped at a fourth one and twirled through the air, smashing into him with her horns. She heard a fifth attacker approaching from her right, and she flicked her head right into him, hitting him with the shorter, more blunt horns that had started growing on her temples and her cheeks over the years. She whipped her second attacker with the blade on her tail, and then stepped back, lowering herself into a pouncing stance, snarling at them.

"Are you kidding me?" The leader of the group shook from rage, watching the fight. "You worthless sacks of flesh can't subdue a single _baby_ Dragon?! Why did I even think you could handle such a simple task?!"

He jumped down from the hill and set the lantern down, grabbing his large sword and pointing it at Cynder. "I'll take care of you _myself_. Don't worry, it won't hurt… too much. Now, just hold still…"

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Even in the face of danger, Sparx still found it in him to mouth off. "I mean, you're a big, strong, fully grown… what the heck are you again? Anyway, as I was saying, here you are, going to pick on a _baby_ Dragon as you said. Whatever a Dragon is, anyway… Man, how inadequate do you have to feel to pick on kids? What would your mother say?"

"…I think I've had enough of you," The leader grit his teeth and raised his sword above the lantern. "So I'm gonna shut you up for good!"

Cynder's heart caught in her throat and her eyes grew two times their size while her pupils shrank. She stood there, wanting desperately to move but unable. She knew she wouldn't be able to push the leader away from Sparx because of his size. In the split second, an idea formed in her mind, and she knew she had to try.

"Leave him alone!" Cynder jumped away from the smaller Apes, and took in a deep gulp of air. She doubted it would work, but all her hope was riding on that blast of wind she could somehow create. But when she opened her mouth and released the build-up of energy to blow the large Ape away, fire burned her throat and the Apes around her.

The smaller Apes yelped and jumped back, and the larger one dropped his sword and gripped his singed hand. He glared at Cynder, and his mind raced.

Cynder glared back, barring her teeth at him and ignoring the rapidly subsiding pain in her throat.

"…Take care of her," The leader growled, kicking the lantern aside and retrieving his sword, "I have to report all of this to Cyrus. Remember, not a single scratch on her or heads will roll!"

The leader jumped back to the hill and then disappeared in the trees. The small Apes turned their attention back to Cynder, and she smiled nervously. They held up the remains of the net and charged towards her. Cynder backed away, shaking like a leaf. She opened her mouth and exhaled more flames, burning the net to cinders and setting the Apes on fire again.

"…I don't really want to do this…" she mumbled, running up to one of them and slamming her horns into him. She slashed him with her claws and tail-blade, and then launched him into the air by swinging her head upward. He fell to the ground and didn't move again. She winced. _Did I…?_

Cynder leapt out of harm's way, and then blew a powerful gust of wind at the others, feeling a bit of relief when it wasn't fire. They smashed into the rocky walls.

"Can't you just leave me alone?" Cynder squinted her left eye while it twitched, and she watched three of the Apes stand up again. When they came rushing towards her for the umpteenth time, she lowered her head and sighed. Once they got closer, she raised her head and unleashed another torrent of flames. A wave of nausea hit when she watched them drop to the ground, motionless.

"Whoa, was that fire?" Sparx broke the uncomfortable silence, and Cynder walked over to the lantern. He shrieked when she suddenly whacked it with her horns and smashed it to pieces, freeing him. "Careful! I'm fragile!"

"Are you okay?" Cynder kept her eyes on Sparx and ignored the bodies of the Apes. Her tail slumped behind her, and her wings were low enough to touch the ground.

"You almost torched me! …But yeah, I'm just fine. You were breathing fire, though! How on earth did you do that?"

"…I have no idea."

"And here I thought that gust of wind thing you had going for awhile was weird enough…"

"This is interesting and all, but I think we should go home," Cynder said, more to herself than to Sparx. She wanted to leave the bodies behind, even as the soil moved to claim them like a living being. She swallowed back a lump in her throat. "Mom and Dad must be worried."

"Yeah, you're right," Sparx shrugged. "They'll want to hear this, I'm sure."

"…So right as I had 'em where I wanted 'em, Cynder let loose some pretty intense flames!" Sparx held his arms out to the side to emphasize the sheer size of the fire. "Like, I know it sounds pretty unbelievable, but seriously! We're talking fire. _Fire_. From the mouth. Not that wind thingy, but _fire_! Alright, are we understanding each other?"

"Yep, that really happened," Cynder nodded, her tail curled around her legs as she sat. She tapped the ground with her tail. "I got really angry and scared, and I wanted to just… I don't know… Blow him away. I didn't think it would work, but then it just… It came out as fire! I don't know why!"

Flash and Nina looked at each other, silent and expressions unreadable.

"…You don't believe us, do you?" Cynder looked down at the ground, shoulders and wings sagged. Her tail stopped tapping.

"Oh, we believe you," Flash said, closing his eyes and scratching the back of his neck. He sighed. "It's just that… Well, we always knew this day was coming…"

"…What day?"

"That we would have to tell you the truth. All of it."

"See, for one thing, you… aren't actually a Dragonfly," Nina took over, feeling a tinge of guilt at the wide-eyed stare Cynder gave her. Nina's eyes darted around for a moment, and then they settled on Cynder again. "And before you ask, yes, you are still our real daughter. It's just that you came from a place far away, where terrible wars seem to have no end, and the innocent are always the ones who pay the price..."

"…I guess that explains a lot of things…" Cynder didn't look up at Flash or Nina, instead choosing to stare at the ground. Her wings drooped, the air heavier than it had ever been. "But if I'm not really from here, then where did I come from? How did you find me?"

"Your egg came down the river on a small cap from a glowing mushroom," Flash answered, rubbing his chin as he remembered that day. "We're not sure why that happened, but there was smoke coming from that direction… So we always assumed whoever sent you away was trying to protect you. Maybe it was your birth parents, but there's no way to be certain."

"We didn't tell you at first because we wanted to keep you safe," Nina continued for him. "We worried that you might run off if you knew, and we'd never see you again. Plus, we had grown very attached to you… When you first used that gust of wind, we thought it was time to tell you, until you dismissed it as natural for your size. We didn't have the heart to tell you back then, because we didn't want you to leave."

Cynder opened her mouth, but then closed it. Her throat tightened and her tongue felt tied up. Without moving her head, she looked up at Sparx. He had his arms crossed, and for once didn't seem like he had anything he wanted to say. Cynder looked back at the ground, mulling over what she just heard. She had heard tales of the world outside the swamp, of course, but never imagined she could've come from there. A deep longing filled her heart, and she knew what she had to do. Even so, tears formed at the corners of her eyes.

"I really don't want to leave, but…" Cynder slowly raised her head and opened her eyes fully, her voice increasing in volume until it was no longer a whisper, "I have to see where I came from. Meet the family I never knew. I don't want to replace you, I _can't_ replace you. But… I have to go. I promise I'll be back someday."

"…We understand," Flash felt his shoulders sag as he spoke. He heaved another sigh, body shuddering and eyes glistening with tears. "You deserve to see where you came from. Just please, be careful."

"…I will," The words tasted like poison. In fact, the very idea of leaving seemed venomous to Cynder, but she couldn't ignore the call of her unknown past. She gave Flash, Nina, and Sparx one last look, and then turned to walk away. She could feel her eyes watering, and the last thing she wanted was for them to see her cry. Her tail dragged on the dirt as she walked, but she paid it no mind.

"So that's it, then?" Sparx flew right in her face, stopping her. "Learn how to breathe fire and then it's time to leave the nest? And you're gonna just leave your best friend behind? I am getting this right? …You know what, I don't care. Go off and have fun with your _real_ family. I'll be here making friends with all the rocks."

"Don't worry about him, Cynder, he'll come around eventually," Flash flew next to her, giving her a warm smile. "You'll see each other again when you come back. Now now, don't look so glum. You'll be fine, just use those breaths of yours wisely. All gifts come with a price that you must be willing to pay."

"What your father means is that with great power, comes great responsibility," Nina placed a reassuring hand near Cynder's right eye, hiding her own tears. "But I believe you'll have no trouble with that. You have such a good heart, all you have to do is follow it. I think that's how it goes… Good luck out there. We love you."

* * *

I plan on re-editing Chapter 1 soon, but for now I'm going to focus on just... posting the rest of this fanfic before I do that.


	3. Wings of Fire

Here's the third chapter! Would've posted it sooner, but stuff came up.

Anyhow, I don't own Spyro the Dragon. Activision does. I doubt they care that I'm rewriting the story to a game they're unlikely to ever re-release.

* * *

Chapter 3: Wings of Fire

* * *

Cynder held her head low underneath the setting sun and the ethereal glow of the mushrooms. Normally Cynder would find the pale blue light beautiful, but now it just seemed eerie and lonely. The entire swamp had become less inviting since she left, and regret prodded at her heart. _I shouldn't have left so soon._

She froze in her tracks at the echoing cries and laughter of Apes above her. She looked up at the canopy of leaves and mushroom caps, holding her breath. The Apes' laughter increase in volume, and she heard a swooshing sound to the right of her. She snapped her head around to look, seeing nothing in the foliage. She breathed out, her wings drooping as her body relaxed. She then resumed her trek.

"Probably just my imagination," Cynder assured herself, eyes on the ground. The softness of the soil proved soothing to her, and she focused on that as best she could. Even with the power of wind and fire, she felt cold and vulnerable.

The laughter of the Apes tore through the swamp again, and Cynder froze again, wide-eyed and trembling. Taking a deep breath, she charged forward, screaming all the way. She jumped over rocks and logs, dashing through the swamp until she couldn't hear their laughter anymore. She skidded to a halt when she came to a clearing, breathing heavily and with her heart pounding so hard she thought it might jump out of her chest.

"Hey, Cynder, there you are!"

Cynder perked up and moved her head to face Sparx. She blinked a few times to confirm he was real, and smiled, the loneliness ebbing away. Then the smile vanished and her eyes fell away from him and to the ground. _Is this going to be my default state? Staring at the ground?_

"Why did you follow me?" Cynder sat down, her heart still pounding from her run. "I thought you were mad at me."

"Well, I kinda still am, but that's beside the point," Sparx huffed, crossing his arms and looking up at the mushrooms. "I mean, you did just leave like nothing back home ever mattered, but who am I to judge? Anywaaaaay, me and the folks were chattin' a bit shortly after you left, and of course that little topic of belonging came up… And we all, you know, decided that best friends belong together! So Mom and Dad let me follow you, and let me tell you, it was not easy. Good thing you're so purple and leave such big footprints. Seriously. You stick out like a sore thumb."

"I'm glad you decided to follow me," Cynder chuckled, raising her head and standing up. "It was lonely out here. Hey, when you were looking for me… did you happen to hear anything?"

"If you're talking about the sounds of those guys we saw earlier, then yes," Sparx unfolded his arms. "Been hearing them a lot. And let me tell you, it'd be nice to just tell them to shut up, but I'd rather not be a lantern again."

"Ah, yes, you being a lantern was very tragic and all, but I think we should just get moving," Cynder said, walking by Sparx and gliding into the clearing. A small tree with three caps stood right in the center, and a few animals scurried underneath its roots at the sight of Cynder. She paid them no mind and trotted through the clearing with her wings resting at her sides.

The sound of footsteps and battle cries broke the peaceful silence, and Cynder looked to see a group of Apes behind her, carrying nets and ropes in their hands. Guttural cries and forceful footsteps shook the ground, and Cynder whipped her head back forward to see two larger Apes approaching with clubs made of bone.

"Oh great, it's them again…" Sparx groaned and covered his face with his hand, shaking his head and hiding the terror he actually felt. He hovered closer to Cynder, holding up his fists and raising his voice. "Alright you pathetic wretches! Come and get me! …Oh and Cynder, feel free to use that fire whenever you want. Just, you know, make sure I'm not in front of it."

"…Sure?" Cynder stood her ground and glared at the Apes with the clubs, feeling the fire growing at the back of her throat. She dug her claws into the dirt and unleashed the torrent of flames, stopping the Apes in their tracks as they tried to put it out. Seeing her chance, she tried to jump over the smaller group and flee, only to get punched right in the face and sent sliding across the ground.

A net was thrown on top on Cynder as she tried to get back up. She shrieked and thrashed about, scratching at the thick rope and readying another burst of flame. Another one of the small Apes approached her with something made of metal and tried to clamp it around her muzzle. She snarled and knocked it away with her wild thrashing, and then blasted him and his allies with more fire.

"Go get 'em, sis!" Sparx cheered, dodging the club from one of the large Apes. "Hey! Leave me out of this, I'm a neutral third party!"

Tossing the remains of the net aside, Cynder rolled away from the Apes and exhaled a powerful gust of wind. The small Apes were blown away and tumbled into the tree, but the large ones stood their ground. They charged towards her, raising their clubs. She yelped and jumped back as the first one slammed his club into the ground, causing a small tremor.

Cynder backed away from the three Apes, seeing the remaining small ones approaching from behind. She inhaled through her teeth and gasped when she touched the dirt wall behind her. She was surrounded with no way out. Sparx gripped one of her horns with one hand, biting his nails on the other.

"Oh, this is not good…"

As soon as the words left Cynder's mouth, all of them paused at the sound of an earth-shattering crack. The cracking sound repeated over and over again, until the sound of booming footsteps replaced it, and Cynder did the first thing that came to mind. She dashed past the Apes, holding a scream in. She saw the massive swamp creatures made of soil and tree branches walking into the clearing, and she steeled herself.

"Hang on tight!" Cynder jumped over one of them as it swung its fist at her, flapping her wings once to give herself a boost. She landed in debris made of wood and stone, figuring it was what the monsters had smashed down. That thought quickly vanished as she rushed through the opening they created, leaving them and the Apes behind. Sparx, meanwhile, held on for dear life.

The swamp went by faster than Cynder could process, but she couldn't bring herself to slow down. She ran by large mushrooms that she could've sworn were moving like creatures, and the mere thought made her keep running. She jumped over a pit filled with more of those peculiar mushrooms. Her burst of adrenaline still hadn't depleted, and she almost tripped over herself when she landed.

She wasn't sure how long she had been running or how far she'd gotten, but her body gave way and she collapsed right in front of a pit of thorns. She desperately gulped down air, but none of it seemed like it was enough. Everything was pounding, including her heart, her head, and she thought for sure even her wings were pounding.

"You should consider a gym membership," Sparx had let go of her horn and hovered above her. "Maybe throw in a salad or two. Might help take the edge off."

Cynder gritted her teeth and glared at Sparx, still panting heavily and unable to give the biting response she wanted to. Her breathing slowed down after a few minutes and she stood back up on wobbly legs. Her body yearned for rest and her eyelids drooped, but sleep was a luxury she couldn't afford. Not out in the open, and not when she didn't know for sure if she had outrun their pursuers.

She looked over the edge and at the pit of thorns, her shaking legs threatening to give way at any second. She looked at Sparx and gave him a weak smile, and then turned her attention to the flat stone in the center of the thorn pit. She spread her wings and jumped up, flapping them once and gliding down to the rock. She saw a log on top of the thorns in front of her, and jumped to it. Another jump, another glide, and she was on solid ground again.

"Think we lost them?" Sparx dared to ask once Cynder started walking forward. He wrapped his arms around himself, shuddering. "Because let me tell ya, I've had enough of them for one day. Maybe even a week. Or a month. Better yet, forever."

"Tell me about it," Cynder replied, risking a glance behind to make sure no one was following. She saw no one, and sighed in relief. "I hope we're going the right way… I really don't want this to have been a waste of time."

"Eh, don't worry about it. Sure, we've had this problem of weirdoes trying to beat us to a pulp, but it was just the first day! I mean, who knows, there may be even more weirdoes tomorrow!"

"Not helping…"

Night had fallen on the swamp, leaving the mushrooms as the only source of light. Cynder's shoulders and wings slumped from exhaustion, and her tail dragged on the ground. She forced her eyes to stay open in the search for a safe place to sleep.

A loud, guttural roar shook the mushroom caps above them, and the silhouette of something truly massive could be seen through the few openings there were. Cynder and Sparx looked at each other with wide eyes and tiny pupils, their breaths caught in their throats. And then they both screamed at the top of their lungs, Cynder running and Sparx flying forward.

"Think of your happy place, think of your happy place!" Sparx gripped the sides of his head, taking in quick breaths. "Breathe, Sparx! Breathe!"

The creature roared again, and Cynder rushed into the first cavern opening she saw, Sparx following. Her energy drained even quicker than the last few times, and she almost tripped over a strategically placed root. She didn't notice Sparx stopped flying and just kept going until she collided with something large and orange.

Cynder groaned and fell to her back, her limbs sprawled about. Dizziness overtook her, and she tried to rub the side of her head, wincing when she ended up scratching herself. There was no blood, which she considered a small comfort. Her blurry vision returned to normal after a moment and her jaw dropped at the sight of the creature in front of her. Much like her, only he looked like fire incarnate.

"Whoa, and here I thought _you_ were big," Sparx whispered to Cynder, not taking his eyes off of the orange one. "S-So big… My goodness."

"You're alive…" The reptilian creature's eyes opened fully as he looked at Cynder, "All this time I had wondered… But none of that matters now… There is no hope… No hope…"

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Cynder sprang back to her feet and looked up at him, her curiosity piqued. "Who are you? What are you? For that matter, what am I? Er, are we the same thing? What are we? …Is what I meant to say."

"…You really don't know?" He blinked, shifting his feet and leaning his head to the side. He waited for Cynder to answer, but she didn't.

"Come on, did you hear _anything_ she just said seconds ago?" Sparx buried his face in his hands and grumbled, "Did any of that sound like it came from someone who knows… the answers to all of that stuff she just asked?"

"Well then, I suppose that's to be expected…" The creature sighed, shaking his head, "I am Ignitus, young one. I am a Dragon, just like you. When you were just an egg, it was my job to protect you, and so many others like you…"

"…There are more like me?" Cynder felt all the tiredness washed away, replaced by curiosity and a feeling of triumph. She had found what she was looking for, and so quickly too. Hope filled her heart.

"Others, oh yes, there were…" Ignitus looked beyond Cynder and Sparx, his mind swimming through the memories, "There were twelve of us. Twelve Guardians, that is, and we had only one job. Just one, to ensure that all the eggs were hatched safely. It was, after all, the Year of the Dragon… Our survival depended on those eggs… But things… The temple… The grotto… All overrun… We should have listened to the Oracles…"

"There's a temple?" Cynder had heard everything else Ignitus said, but none of it registered. "Can I see the temple? Where I came from? Which way is it? Who are the Oracles?"

"No, no… I shudder to think of what state the temple is in… What vile forces have it in their grasp…"

Cynder felt her excitement dwindle as she started to comprehend everything Ignitus was saying. She looked down at the ground, and was sure he was looking at her. Sparx stayed close to her, looking back and forth between the two Dragons.

"You must understand, after they came for you and… and…" Ignitus' wings slumped along with his shoulders, and a loud roar made him snap back to life. "…Come with me. It's not safe out here."

"…They?" Cynder followed Ignitus deeper into the cavern, feeling the curiosity return to the surface of her mind, "…Who are they? Why'd they come for me? And who else did they come for? Where are we going? Are you even listening?"

"One thing at a time…" Ignitus folded his wings to his sides and ducked into the entrance of another, smaller cave. Glancing at Sparx, Cynder shrugged and walked inside the cave after Ignitus.

There wasn't much to the cave, but three items in particular caught Cynder's eye. A battle lance rested against the wall, broken in half and with the paint on it fading from both age and exposure to the elements. A dull gold-coloured helmet was placed on a smooth rock, a few cracks visible on its edges. A wooden shield leaned against the rock with the helmet. Pieces of it had broken off, but it still looked like it could protect its holder against an attack.

"Let me start at the beginning…" Ignitus slowly pushed a rock in front of the entrance, as another roar could be heard fading into the distance. "You see, there were… prophecies going around. The kind that souls tainted by darkness would do anything to prevent. Prophecies of a Purple Dragon, born only once every thousand years…"

Ignitus' gaze stayed on Cynder for awhile, and he furrowed his brow, gears turning inside his head. Cynder stared back, lying down and patiently waiting for him to continue talking. Sparx took in his words carefully, and glanced at Cynder a few times as he thought about it.

"So, are you saying that Cynder's some special… once in a… purple thing?" the words that left Sparx's mouth were absolutely not what he envisioned, but they got the job done. He tried to stifle the laughter that was starting to escape. "Ah, yeah… I don't think so… Pretty sure you've got the wrong… You're called Dragons, right? Ah yes, as I was saying, of all the doozies I've heard in my day, that one definitely takes the cake."

 _Wrong Dragon?_ Ignitus thought glumly, lying down in front of Cynder and crossing his paws. _You have no idea, little Dragonfly… You have no idea…_

"Your name is Cynder?" Ignitus pushed those thoughts aside, curling his tail around himself. Cynder nodded, and he allowed the ghost of a smile to creep upon his face. It vanished just as quickly as it had appeared. "I can assure you, Cynder, that I am telling the truth. Years ago, the Dark Armies invaded the temple with the intention of destroying the eggs and slaughtering the rest of us. They almost succeeded... So many lives were lost in that battle, and the battles for the islands that followed."

Ignitus paused and his body tensed, waiting to hear the roar again. He lifted a wing to his head in an attempt to assist his hearing. No sound touched his ears except that of insects outside the cave. His muscles relaxed and he lowered his wing back to his side.

"…We were engaged in a terrible, _terrible_ war," Ignitus closed his eyes as the memories flooded in. "A war without end. Brutal clash after clash with the armies of the Dark Master, who wanted to prevent the fulfillment of the prophecies."

"This is gonna be a long story, isn't it?" Sparx shrugged when Ignitus seemed to glare at him. "What? Just asking so I know how long I need to stay awake. Because I'm seriously considering falling asleep right now. You have no idea the day we've had…"

"The other Guardians and I led the charge against the Dark Armies," Ignitus opted to just ignore Sparx, his gaze softening. "For many years, our valiant force was formed by an alliance between the Light Dragons and the Dark Dragons… But after the attack on the temple, the Dark Dragons withdrew their forces and returned to their lands, taking half of the Guardians with them. I don't blame them… Their numbers had dwindled so greatly even before this war, and they had to retreat for their survival."

"But it left us weakened," Ignitus started drawing lines in the dirt with his claws. "Nonetheless, the six Guardians of the Light Dragons remained, and we fought battle after battle after battle… Hopeless as it seemed, we were beginning to turn the tide. But then… Then… Cyrus appeared."

"Cyrus?" The name sent chills down Cynder's spine, and she suppressed a shudder. She noticed that Ignitus looked even more downcast, but didn't dare ask why.

"Cyrus?" Ignitus repeated her question, his voice beginning to waver. "He was… He _is_ … A monstrous Black Dragon with horrific and destructive power, and an unstoppable ferocity on the battlefield. He is almost not a Dragon, but instead a force of nature that comes and goes as he pleases, leaving all in ruin."

"…Yeah, he sounds like the life of the party," Sparx muttered, clasping his hands together. "Think he might be the source of those roars from earlier? That's how Cynder and I found you. We heard… whatever that was and ran. Well, she ran. I flew."

"I do not doubt that possibility," Ignitus admitted, nodding in agreement. "Cyrus still searches for me… It's only a matter of time. Years ago, I was forced to watch as he decimated our army and single-handedly defeated three of my fellow Guardians, carrying them off to a fate I don't even want to begin to imagine… Those that remained… Aquarius, Aura, and I… We fled. We had no choice. I don't know if Aquarius and Aura actually managed to escape…"

"With three Guardians captured and the rest scattered to the winds, our cause is lost," Ignitus was lost in the moment, his words automatic. "Not that having all of us together would change anything now… Cyrus is the ruler of all, and I spend my days wondering how things might have gone had we heeded all of the Oracles' warnings… What else we could have… should have… done."

Ignitus clenched his jaw and looked away from Cynder and Sparx, eyes falling on the lance and shield. He tapped a claw on the ground, wanting to say something else but unable to find the words. His tail twitched for a moment, and his chest rose and fell with each breath.

"Wow, that's… well… that sure sounds like a lot of fun," Sparx broke the silence, tapping his fingers against each other. "You're a great guy to hang out with, man. So… positive. Yeah. Let's go with that."

"So that's it, then?" Cynder stood up and hardened her stare at Ignitus. "You're just going to give up? You tell me I'm some special Dragon or whatever… And yet, there's no hope? I came all this way for nothing? I can't believe that! I left my home to find where I came from, and I'm not going to quit now!"

"Calm down, destined one, didn't you hear anything this guy said?" Sparx flew in between the two, eyes on Cynder. "He's talking about war, and death, and… Bad stuff!"

"Yes, Cynder, listen to him," Ignitus said, ceasing with the tapping. "It's true that the Purple Dragon was prophesized to leave their mark on the world, but… No prophecy foretold the despair and desolation we suffer now."

"So?" Cynder scrunched up her face and glared, standing up and stomping her foot. "Who cares about that? I'm here _now_ , and I'd rather go out trying than just sitting around waiting for it all to end! You can't just expect me to waste around like you seem happy doing! That's not who I am!"

"Seriously, Cynder?" Sparx grumbled, the palm of his hand meeting his face. "You're seriously okay with just throwing yourself out there with all the bad guys that want to kill everyone? And who even knows what they want to do to you? You're just gonna risk everything because some old guy said you were special? …Sheesh."

"I won't change my mind. I am going to the temple, and then I'm going to fix this!"

"Alright, alright…" Ignitus slumped his shoulders in defeat. He couldn't argue against the energy of a hatchling, especially the only one he had seen in years. "When morning arrives, I'll take you to the temple. I owe you that much. It is your right to see how it all began… before it all ends."

"Thank you," Cynder smiled her first genuine smile since her journey had started. She didn't give much thought to how Ignitus ended his sentence. "I think I can wait until then… I'm sleepy."

"…Am I the only one here who still has their head attached?" Sparx's voice turned scratchy and high-pitched. "Cynder, he's telling us that we're all gonna die. And you know, that's when I kinda think, welp! This was a lovely trip and all that, but maybe it's time we had back home! It was fun there. And it had flowers."

When Cynder failed to respond, Sparx looked down to find she had curled into a ball and fallen asleep. He rubbed his eyes, frowning. He fluttered down and poked her, but failed to get any sort of reaction.

"Okay, really?" Sparx growled in exasperation, and he poked her again. "You've gotta be kidding me… Fine. Whatever. I guess I'll just follow your example for now. But tomorrow, I am _not_ going! You got that?"

Ignitus considered it a great mercy when Sparx quieted down and went to sleep. With Cynder no longer badgering him with questions, and Sparx unable to question everything, Ignitus finally got to return to his own thoughts. He focused his attention on the colour of Cynder's scales, blinking a few times to reassure himself the dark purple colour was indeed real.

 _So… The Millennial Egg contained a second Purple Dragon…_ Ignitus lowered his head closer to the ground and scratched his chin in thought. _It is no small wonder that the Oracles were so adamant about protecting it, then… The devastation caused by… Cyrus is bad enough._

Ignitus took in everything about Cynder's appearance besides her scale colour. He looked at her horns, her silver crests, and the tail-blade in particular. She reminded him of a Wind Dragon, which he considered a good hint at her parentage. There was another Dragon she shared some similarity with, but Ignitus couldn't quite place it. The name felt like it was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't bring it out.

 _Why didn't the Oracles tell us the Millennial Dragon would have purple scales?_ Ignitus averted his gaze from Cynder, staring at his helmet instead. _Surely they knew… They wanted it safe no matter the cost. What is it that they were hiding?_

* * *

So it seems unlikely I'll have this all posted before the release day/tenth anniversary for The Eternal Night, so in order to make that anniversary I will edit and post the first chapter of this story's sequel on that day as a teaser of sorts. Don't worry, nothing too spoilery, especially since I think it should be obvious how this story ends.


	4. Through the Ancient Temple Doors

I'm sorry for vanishing... again. Got swamped with college and other things that took my attention away from edits and rewrites. But anyhow, without oversharing, let's just say that I'm finally in the right headspace to continue working on this. Not really fond of this chapter but I've spent enough hours on it that it's as good as I can get it on my own. I also re-edited Chapter 1, but don't worry, I didn't really add anything that requires a re-read.

Also, how about that Spyro: Reignited, huh? Super excited!

Spyro the Dragon belongs to Activision.

* * *

Chapter 4: Through the Ancient Temple Doors.

* * *

The following morning, Ignitus led Cynder and Sparx out of the caverns and towards a large, ornate door. Two worn statues of Dragon heads rested in front of the door, and Cynder stared at them in wonder. She was even fascinated by the door, and so she stood there staring at it.

"It would seem that the other two statues were moved out of place by Cyrus' forces…" Ignitus lowered his wings and shook his head in disapproval. His voice was quiet, trembling with a mounting rage. "The heathens…" He raised his head and his voice. "We will have to move the statues back in place."

"Where are the other two statues, and why do we need them?" Cynder skipped over to Ignitus' side, holding her head up and waiting for a reply. Sparx hovered near her, casting a golden glow on her and Ignitus.

"Those statues are on the other side of the door…" Ignitus turned his head to face her. "Only with all four statues positioned correctly will the door open."

"Riiight, never really excelled at geometry," Sparx rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, his voice dry as a desert. "So just cut to the chase. What is it you need us to do?"

"If I recall correctly, there is a tunnel somewhere nearby," Ignitus replied, looking around for it. He let out a quiet hum. "It's too small for me to fit through, but I am sure you both can. Cynder, I need you to use it to reach the other side and move the statues back into place."

"Huh, well alright then," Sparx shrugged and let his arms fall to his sides. "Sounds simple enough. What could possibly go wrong?"

Cynder clicked her tongue and scanned the area. The overgrowth blocked out most of the sunlight and made it hard to see, but she didn't have to look for long. She saw the entrance at the top of a rock formation, blocked by vines. A gust of wind pushed her up high as she jumped, courtesy of her wings, and she burned the vines away with a small burst of flame. She grabbed the ledge and hoisted herself into the cave.

"Hm," Ignitus watched her and Sparx disappear at the entrance. He heard their voices fade as they went deeper inside, and turned his attention back to the door, sitting down. "She has Wind and Fire already, even without other Dragons to teach her all these years? That's… promising. Very promising, indeed."

The inside of the cave was better lit than the outside, and Cynder's scales glistened as she jogged under the rays of the light. She came across a pit and noticed some more of those strange mushrooms that she thought she saw move the day before. She glanced at them for a fleeting moment, and then used the pillars of rock to jump across the pit and to the other side.

As she jogged, Cynder looked all around the cave. The rocky walls showed fractures on the surface, and the rays of light seeped through cracks in the ceiling. She could even see some roots from great trees had broken through the cave from all sides, allowing more light to trickle through and bathe the tunnels in an ethereal blue, green, and golden glow.

"Hey, give this a look." Sparx flew in front of Cynder and over to a hole covered up by tree branches. "You know what they say… When in doubt, smash it up. Go crazy."

Cynder clenched her teeth and jumped above the branches, spinning and crashing through them. She landed in a much darker cavern, the only good source of light being Sparx's wings. She rubbed her nose and turned around, seeing the door and the misplaced statues. She placed her head against one of them, groaning as she started pushing it. The statue was a lot heavier than she expected.

"…Uhhh, Cynder, you might wanna stop what you're doing and turn around." Sparx said, biting his nails as he watched the large mushrooms start to shake. Eventually, legs sprouted out, and a distinctly arachnid shape was formed. "Come on, Cynder! Blow them away! Set them on fire! _Mash the buttons_! Do something!"

"…Mash what buttons?!" Cynder half-shrieked, backing away from the mushroom spiders as they approached. Another one jumped in behind them. Cynder forced herself to snarl and roar at the mushroom spiders, digging her claws into the soil to brace herself.

Sparx's face fell. "…Yeah, you're right. Wrong medium. But the point stands! _Do something_!"

Cynder opened her mouth and caught the closest spider in her Wind breath, holding it in place while it squirmed and screamed before the swirling air took its breath away. This didn't stop the other spiders from moving in to attack her, and she stopped and jumped out of the way as one tried to hit her with a spinning kick. She took a deep breath and exhaled flames that stopped all the spiders in their tracks. She moved her head left and right to make sure none of them escaped her fire.

The spiders collapsed and Cynder stopped to catch her breath, the inside of her mouth tasting like ash. She gagged in disgust, but ignored it and went back to pushing the statue. Within a few seconds it was set back in place, and she hopped to the second one and started pushing it.

Cynder heard more rustling in the overgrowth nearby, but before she could react, a fourth mushroom spider smacked her in the face with its foot. Her back collided with the statue, knocking the air right out of her lungs. Her vision blurred and she could hear nothing but ringing.

"Cynder, Cynder!" Sparx started slapping her, as two more mushroom spiders landed nearby. He shrieked at the sight of them and slapped the dazed Dragon even harder. His yells turned to high-pitched, desperate screams of terror. "Come on Cynder, snap out of it!"

The mushroom spiders were almost upon Cynder when she regained her focus, and she rolled out of their way, forcing them to crash into each other as they tried to jump at her. While they struggled to untangle themselves, Cynder dug her claws into the dirt and she blasted them with fire until she couldn't take it anymore. The flames petered out, only to be replaced by the force of a miniaturized cyclone.

"…Did I get all of them?" Cynder panted, having spent her energy pushing the spiders away from the door. The taste of ash was still in her mouth, and her throat felt a bit sore. It took all her remaining strength in her wobbly legs to keep from collapsing onto the ground and sinking into unconsciousness. "…Because I really don't think I can handle more of them."

Cynder stepped close to the statue, standing with her back to it as she waited for more spiders to crawl out of the woodwork. None appeared, and she felt a wave of relief wash over her, and she then pushed the statue back into place. She stepped in between the statues and watched the door open, seeing Ignitus on the other side. She grinned in triumph, but Ignitus didn't miss the wounds scattered around her body.

"Is everything alright?" Ignitus walked through the open doorway, stopping next to Cynder. He looked at the remains of mushroom spiders as they sank into the ground. He frowned, disappointed he hadn't considered the possibility of those creatures making a nest around the temple's remains. "Oh, I see…"

"Just some minor bug problems," Cynder replied, dusting herself off and puffing her chest out to look strong and proud. For an added effect, she spread her wings out to make herself look bigger. "It wasn't a big deal, honestly. I'm fine."

"Wasn't a big deal?" Sparx glared at Cynder. His eye twitched and he clenched his jaw. "…Minor bug problem? Not what I'd call minor…"

"Well, as long as you're both alright…" Ignitus shook his head, not wanting to press the matter further. With a limp, he walked by Cynder and towards the second door. He stopped and closed his eyes. "The past… is prelude. Tomorrow… a dim promise. Grant us entrance… Do not reject us."

Nothing happened, and Ignitus held his head low.

"I was afraid of this…" he said, facing Cynder. "Please, you must go through all of the connecting rooms, restoring each and every statue to their proper positions…"

"And why can't you just do that yourself?" Sparx demanded, throwing his hands up and grumbling. "Come on, it can't be that hard."

"I can't fit through any of these tunnels, not even the one that the mushroom spiders used to ambush you," Ignitus said, looking up as if expecting to find salvation from above. He stepped in front of the opening the mushroom spiders had made. "But I _can_ give you a boost… Hop up. I assure you, it's fine."

Ignitus placed his tail flat on the ground and stiffened his body, resembling a statue. Cynder hesitated for a moment, looking at him and then at her claws. She wished they were retractable, like the claws of other animals. Seeing Sparx gesturing towards the tunnel, she shrugged it off and climbed up his tail and back. He lowered his head and then launched her up, and she glided through the tunnel.

The cave that she found herself in was mostly more of the same. Gray, rocky walls with mushrooms and other plants scattered around the walls and the ground. The same canopy of rock and mushrooms hung above her. To her relief, she didn't see any mushroom spiders or Apes.

"Whoa, take a gander at this!" Sparx said as he whooshed ahead of Cynder. He stopped and hovered near a cluster of crystals. They were close in size to Cynder herself, and they shimmered with the colours of a rainbow.

It was the most beautiful thing Cynder had ever seen. So naturally, she attacked the crystals and destroyed them. The cluster exploded into a dozen gems of solid colours. Most were red, some were green, a few were blue, and at least two were purple. They were drawn to Cynder like a magnet to metal, and they splashed against her skin, absorbed into her body.

"…What the heck was that all about?" Sparx shouted, staring at where the cluster once stood in disbelief. "Sheesh, I bet if you saw the most beautiful flowers in the history of beautiful flowers, you'd set them on fire."

"…I'm sorry, I have no idea what that was," Cynder looked down at the ground in shame. She didn't notice her wounds had been healed. "It's just… I don't know… I couldn't stop myself. I had to hit it, like it was begging me to! And I feel great now that I did! I feel like the force of a thousand suns are coursing through my body!"

"…Alright then, I see you're really confused right now. You might want to consider getting eight hours of sleep from now on. Just saying. I'll let you sleep from now on."

"…Never mind. Let's just find those statues."

The tunnel had gotten darker since the crystals were destroyed, and Cynder ran down it in search of light that wasn't Sparx. She could see rays of light in front of her, and she ran faster. She glided down into a round cavern and gasped when she found a group of Apes striking a statue.

"Really?" Cynder growled and glared at them, ramming into one of the Apes and sending her flying into the wall. Another came at Cynder, and she whipped her head around, blowing him and a third Ape away. She leapt at another and smacked him with her tail, and then spun around, breathing out a torrent of blazing hot fire. She heard the Apes cry out in fear and agony, and shuddered when she heard nothing else.

Cynder closed her eyes and pushed the statue back into its rightful spot, and then dashed down the next tunnel so she didn't have to see the aftermath of what she had done. The tunnel was darker than the last, and she heard movement. She dared to open her eyes, only to be greeted with two large and hungry mushroom spiders. She screamed and out came more fire. The spiders squirmed and tried to escape the flames, but she kept it trained on them.

"I gotta admit, weird as it is, that fire breath of yours is really coming in handy," Sparx commented as Cynder returned the statue to its place. "The wind breath, too. You're like a one-Dragon army. It's incredible. And kinda terrifying all at once."

"Thanks?" Cynder gave him an uncertain smile, walking over to a tunnel that contained a pit of thorns. "I hate these things…"

She jumped up as high as she could and spread her wings out to slow her descent, feeling her stomach churn as she glided over the thorns. Landing in them would be very painful, and she really didn't want to entertain the idea. She sighed in relief when she landed safely on the other side, and she hopped onto the structure in front of her. It was a very ornate wall and floor with a torch on it. She shrugged and shot it with a short burst of fire, crying out in surprise when the circular structure spun around.

"Excellent job, young Dragon," Ignitus smiled warmly, eyes on Cynder as she landed next to him. The door opened, and he walked through it with her by his side. They came across two clusters of crystals, and Cynder found herself rushing over to them.

"Can you tell me what these are?" she reached a paw out to touch one, but quickly withdrew it and tried to look as innocent as possible. She wasn't quite sure she wanted to tell him that she broke a cluster.

"They are called Spirit Gems, Cynder," Ignitus was more than happy to answer her question, however. He walked over to the other cluster, eyeing it almost hungrily. "The Ancestors blessed us with these. Break it apart, and you will become empowered with a force of wisdom and courage from across generations. Go ahead, break one of them and you'll see what I mean."

Having explicit permission to attack the cluster, Cynder did so with great vigour. Shattered by claw and tail, the crystals burst into smaller gems and once more she felt rejuvenated as her scales absorbed them. She couldn't stop the smile that crept upon her face. "You're right… I feel like I could take on a whole army!"

"…In time, you might be able to," Ignitus broke the crystals near him, closing his eyes in meditation as his body absorbed the gems. He stretched his limbs, and then relaxed, letting out a satisfied sigh. "But let's not get ahead of ourselves. We still need to get inside the temple."

Ignitus gestured towards the door, and as they walked, the telltale laughter of an Ape could be heard. Ignitus stopped right in his tracks while Cynder continued moving forward. Once she realized he was no longer walking beside her, she stopped and looked at him, confused.

"Cynder, I'm sorry, but I think it's best if we go back…" Ignitus answered the question he knew Cynder was planning to ask. "My worst fears have been realized. It's not safe here."

"What?" Cynder's eyes widened in disbelief, and she rushed over to him and stared at him with said wide eyes. "But we've gotten so far! We can't just turn back now! Not when we're so close!"

"Listen, Cynder, this door is closed…" Ignitus said, turning around to walk back the way they came. "There are intruders inside the temple. If that happens, the doors are sealed shut to keep them contained."

"So the solution to intruders is to lock them inside?" Sparx raised an eyebrow. "Hm, yeah… That sounds _very_ efficient. I'd have thought getting them out would be the goal, but I'm wrong on a lot of things."

"So, I'm guessing that the way to make the door open is to make sure the intruders are kicked out somehow?" Cynder's gaze moved all over the cave, and she took note of a cracked wall and three pillars. "Because I can do that. Please?"

"…I suppose there's no way I can stop you…" Even with the rejuvenating power of the crystals, Ignitus was finding himself growing weary all over again. The energy and sheer stubbornness of this child was without end. "But please, be careful."

Cynder beamed, and scurried over to the pillar with a chunk taken out of it. She found it surprising that the pillar was still standing, and then smirked. It wouldn't be standing for much longer. She slashed it and then smacked it with her tail, weakening the base and finally breaking it off. The pillar fell to the side, slamming into another pillar and breaking it off its base. The second pillar then smashed into a third pillar, which busted through the wall.

"Nailed it."

Cynder and Sparx entered the cave, hearing the terrified shrieks of an Ape fading into the distance. The two looked at each other for a moment, and continued traveling down the dark corridor in the direction the sound came from.

A stick of dynamite flew by Cynder's head and exploded a fair distance behind her, knocking some stray rocks into her back, making her yelp. She looked up and saw two Apes running towards her while a larger one hid behind the ribcage of some animal, throwing another stick of dynamite her way. She hissed and smacked the dynamite away with her tail, sending it back to its owner. The Ape panicked and stumbled backwards right before the dynamite exploded in her face.

Cynder attacked the other two with a blast of swirling wind, and she noticed it seemed stronger than before. The two went flying into the larger one as she tried to get back to her feet, and the three Apes went crashing into the wall. Seeing her chance, Cynder dashed forward and released a stream of flames upon them.

"…I still don't like that," Cynder grimaced at the sight of the Apes going limp. She felt something eating at her. This wasn't like the frogweeds or the mushroom spiders, or even the growths. "I… I really don't like that…"

Cynder held her breath when she heard the battle cry of another Ape, and two more of the smaller ones smashed through the wall next to her. She jumped as they tried to punch her, and then exhaled even more flames, wanting to get it over with quickly. Cynder stopped and then jumped over them, not bothering to look at them. She figured the fire was enough and didn't want to continue dwelling on it.

An Ape far larger than any she had previously seen stepped out of the shadows and pointed a massive staff with a purple crystal at her. He swung it at her, and she was too slow to react. She cried out as the crystal slammed into her and cut at her scales, and the force of the attack sent her crashing into a wall. She felt the Ape's free hand grip her by the neck, and she flailed about as he lifted her up.

"Drop her right now!" Sparx clenched his fists, and seeing no other option, punched the Ape right in his good eye. The Ape yelped and dropped Cynder to the ground. He tried to swat Sparx out of the way, but missed him. Sparx flew down to Cynder, pointing his thumb back at the dazed Ape. "All yours, Cyndy."

Cynder rose to her feet and wasted no time in setting the Ape on fire. She ducked out of the way of his staff as he swung it at her again. She hopped to the side, keeping the flames on him until he eventually collapsed and slumped to the ground. Cynder's face morphed into something resembling remorse, and she hurried down the path, towards a well-lit part of the cave.

There were a few Apes sleeping near a barrel full of dynamite, something Cynder felt was terribly unsafe. She descended and landed near the fuse, but ignored it. She looked up, seeing a cloudy blue sky. She smiled at seeing the sky after what felt like hours, but her happiness was short-lived.

"Uh…" Cynder sat down and covered her muzzle with her paws, feeling a tickling sensation in her nose. She kept inhaling sharply, a sneeze threatening to escape. She tried to stop it. She really did try her best to stop it, but it was no use. She pulled her paws away and sneezed out fire, which lit the fuse. Her eyes widened and in trying to scramble back, she fell over onto her side. "…Oh no."

The sneeze had awoken the four Apes, and at first they sneered at Cynder. But then they saw the lit fuse, and chaos reigned. They shrieked and tried to run away, bumping into each other and knocking each other over, and even tripping over each other. Cynder jumped back into the cavern tunnel she came from, with Sparx way ahead of her.

The barrel's explosion was equal parts glorious and terrible in the destructive it left behind. Cynder didn't see the three small Apes anymore, a fact which disturbed her to no end. The larger Ape's staff had been mostly destroyed and she was charred, but she was somehow still breathing. As soon as Cynder was within her sights, she tried to bash her skull in with what was left of her staff. Cynder sidestepped and the Ape stumbled forward, falling flat on her face and going limp.

"I'm sorry!" Cynder said the first thing that came to her mind, even though none of the Apes were able to hear. She wrenched her gaze away and rushed down another cavern corridor, gliding out and landing near Ignitus. The sight of him made her feel better, so she settled for just staring at him. She heard Sparx trying to catch his breath, like he had been running a marathon. She forced a smile when he looked at her.

Cynder could hear the sound of more Apes behind her, and she wanted to scream in frustration. She turned around to see seven Apes approaching all at once, and her pupils shrank. Nonetheless, she got herself into the best battle stance she could manage and prepared to fight. But before she could charge at them, Ignitus jumped in between her and the Apes, his eyes filled with fury.

"Don't you dare lay a hand on her," Ignitus' voice was filled with more menace than Cynder would've expected from him, and he approached the Apes like a predator stalking its prey, barring his teeth and spreading his wings out, his tail swishing back and forth. "Cynder, stay back. Let me demonstrate what a Dragon with years of training in the ancient ways is capable of."

"We've been looking all over for you, Ignitus," the leader pointed his staff at Ignitus, laughing at him. "For so long you've managed to escape our clutches, but that changes _now_. Cyrus wants his fourth crystal, and who are we to deny him that? And that purple brat belongs to the Dark Master. You aren't really going to take what's rightfully his, are you?"

Two of the Apes dashed towards Ignitus once the leader stopped talking, only to be burned to a crisp by a blast of fire far more intense than anything Cynder could do. She watched in awe and terror as Ignitus launched what looked like a ball made of fire, its explosion knocking the Apes back. The leader raised his staff and charged forward, only to be smacked back into the tunnel he came from by Ignitus' paw. His two remaining underlings fared no better, trying to attack Ignitus from behind and getting slapped into the wall by the elder Dragon's mighty tail.

"Cynder, Sparx, take cover!" Ignitus ordered, waiting until he saw the two disappear behind a fallen pillar. Seeing more Apes running out of the tunnel, he held still as the other three Apes scrambled back to their feet. Taking a slow, calm breath, he waited for them to get closer, a fiery aura starting to surround him. When they were almost upon him, he opened his eyes and started to rise from the ground, encased in an orb of fire and lava.

"Aaaaah, get back, get back!" the leader ran over one of his own soldiers in a mad dash to escape, but it was all in vain. Ignitus roared and an explosion of fire engulfed the entire area, waves of fire washing over for good measure. All his energy spent, Ignitus fell to the ground, panting heavily. There was no sign of the Apes, and the entire area was covered in ash and dying fire.

"Goodness, the old guy's something else," Sparx squeaked out, his eyes wide and his jaw hanging open. He rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times, and then concluded that he wasn't dreaming. "Just… Wow… I would not want to get on his bad side."

"Are you hurt?" Cynder jumped over to Ignitus' side, fear gripping her heart as she watched him struggle to stand. "Do you need any help?"

"I will live, Cynder," Ignitus answered between breaths, forcing himself to stand. His legs wobbled a bit as he rose, but he managed to keep himself off the ground. "For a Dragon my age, a Fury takes a lot of energy."

"That was amazing… Can you teach me any of that?"

"Of course… Once we have taken back the temple, I will teach you all I can."

The door nearby opened, and the two Dragons' heads whipped over in its direction as battle cries from more Apes echoed out from the corridor. Cynder and Ignitus both moved in, Cynder leaving Ignitus behind and dash through the door, Sparx flying right behind her.

Ignitus tried to leap into the corridor, but the door sealed shut right in his face. He gasped and slammed his horns into the door, as he could hear Cynder and the Apes fighting on the other side. The door refused to open, and he could do nothing but wait.

Cynder lowered her head and charged forward, ramming into one Ape and knocking her into another one with a staff. She whipped a second Ape with her tail, seeing a line of red as her tail blade slashed across his face. He cried out in agony and lunged at her, his fist colliding with the side of her jaw. She stumbled around, regaining her footing only to be tackled to the ground by the first Ape she had attacked.

"I'd love to snap your neck, but orders are orders…" the Ape pinned Cynder and clenched her fist. "I can settle for punching your lights out, though! Now hold still…"

Cynder moved her head at the last moment, and the Ape slammed her fist into the dirt. She snarled and threw another punch, which Cynder dodged again. The process repeated over and over until Cynder launched her into the ceiling with a blast of wind.

"Quit fooling around and capture that pile of scales!" the leader barked, two of stronger Apes rushing past him. Cynder jumped to meet them, letting out a roar of fire and watching it spread throughout the corridor. She pushed forward as the Apes tried to back away, whipping her tail through the air to slap the two that tried to approach her from behind. They were knocked to the side.

The leader clenched his jaw and refused to let it open again, even as the flames licked at his skin. He watched his soldiers fall to the ground in defeat, and ignored them as they began to sink into the soil. He gripped his staff even as the crystal burst apart, and raised it up, bringing it down on Cynder's head. The fire stopped in an instant and she smashed face first into the dirt.

A stray red gem had been broken off of a nearby cluster of Spirit Gems, and it splashed against Cynder's head. Her eyes snapped open and she jumped right in the face of the large Ape, slashing and smacking and biting at him until he was claimed by the soil. She rushed to the cluster and shattered it, hungry for the healing power of the red and green gems. Both doors opened, and Ignitus rushed through the one behind her.

"I am deeply sorry I wasn't there to help you," Ignitus said, claiming the second Spirit Gem cluster for himself. He looked towards the door in front, gazing into the first room of the temple. "Now, let us both reclaim the temple from Cyrus' forces. I am confident that we will succeed."

"No problem!" Cynder held her head up high in pride and puffed out her chest. As if the previous battles hadn't even happened, Cynder dashed into the temple. "They better kiss this place goodbye!"

"Great, just great…" Sparx held his hands up and looked toward the ceiling, waiting for salvation. "Now she thinks she can take on the entire universe. Wonderful."

Ignitus hurried through the opening before the door closed, and followed the sounds of wind, fire, and panicking Apes. He walked through one room and down a hallway leading to another room. In the center of it was a large statue of a Dragon from ancient times, but he didn't take much time to admire it. He moved in the direction of the noise, only to find Cynder sitting down looking guilty. If there were any Apes, Ignitus would never get the chance to see them.

"I think they're all gone now," Cynder said, feeling a cocktail of emotions. Part of her felt unbelievably giddy about being inside the temple, and yet she felt nauseous at what it took to get there. And something deep inside her mind told her that things weren't going to get better any time soon. Her young mind quickly latched onto something else once more, to distract herself from the feelings she couldn't process.

"Well done, young Dragon, well done…" Ignitus replied, walking past the statue and towards another door. "You've shown great strength and courage today."

Cynder followed Ignitus outside, their claws scraping against the stone floor as they walked to the balcony. Cynder looked over the short, stone wall and her jaw dropped as a shudder went down her spine. Her eyes became filled with disbelief as she stared at the land below, seeing nothing but ruined stone houses and other buildings among the trees that threatened to swallow them up.

"Well, this place is a bundle of sunshine and love…" Sparx examined it carefully, filling a pit in his stomach. "Yeah, this is a nice neighborhood. I'd definitely wanna move here. Sure, it's a bit of a dump, but surely some hard work and dedication will liven it up. Eh, who am I kidding…"

"When I asked you to take me here, I…" Cynder couldn't take her eyes off the ruined village, and she choked on her words. "…I didn't think that it would be like this."

"This is the work of Cyrus, the commander of the Dark Master's army," Ignitus gazed at the city in the distance. "He rules the islands with an iron fist, and few dare to oppose him now… But I now believe that we can take back what is rightfully ours."

"How would we be able to do that?"

"My days as a warrior may be at their end, but with your help…" Ignitus stood beside Cynder and looked down at her. "We just might be able to defeat Cyrus and free all of the islands from his oppression."

"Wha, me?" Cynder's eyes went from saddened to shocked in two seconds flat. "You want me to take him on? But until yesterday, I thought I was a Dragonfly! What can I possibly do to stand up to a Dragon like him?"

"Because, Cynder, you are a Purple Dragon," a smile began to creep upon Ignitus' face, and hope filled his eyes. "You have more power than you even realize. Cyrus may be powerful, and he may be frightening, but his power cannot match yours. Before I met you, I was willing to give up. But you have helped me find hope again. And now, you can do the same for all of them, Dragons and non-Dragons alike."

"Fighting a few Apes here and there is hard enough…" Cynder stared at the stone floor, wings and tail drooping. She kicked a stray rock to the side as her mind raced, and then she looked up at Ignitus again. "I don't know if I'm really as special as you seem to think I am, but… I'll give it my best shot. I'll face Cyrus."

"All I ask of you is that you try." Ignitus smiled. "Now please, come with me. For someone who has never been taught what being a Dragon really means, you battled remarkably today. I even could see that you have gained the Elements of Wind and Fire already. That's quite the achievement."

"Thanks, I guess. What are we going to be doing now?"

"Before you can even think about challenging Cyrus and his massive army, you have much to learn."

"You're going to teach me more? Those ancient ways you mentioned before?"

"Yes. It is time… To unleash the true Dragon within you."

* * *

Holy vague statements of vagueness, Batman!

I'm in the process of re-editing Chapter 2 and editing Chapter 5. Should have them up soon. And I actually mean soon. I'm not running on Valve Time anymore, I promise.


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